I have MBP. To add to the trouble, my hair has started growing gray on my beard and sidelocks (age 23). What can i do to stop further graying? Whatever is gray, how can I make it black….are dyes unsafe?
Dyes in the hands of a good hair stylist, are generally safe. There is no safe and effective cure to graying that I know of.
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):
Greetings!
I had hair transplants last June. They’re growing in great!
I received a letter from you yesterday in which you mention you are experimenting with low level light therapy laser. I’m interested, but could you send me more information? Specifically, what kind of time commitment is needed? The letter says three sessions per week, but not if it’s one week or several weeks.
Thanks!
The recommended treatment by those that are experienced with lasers (not me) are three times a week for 6 weeks, then twice a week for another 6 weeks, then once a week for the remaining one year. If it works, more might be better. I can not attest for its value at this time. You can start it and quit anytime. For our existing hair transplant patients, there is no charge for the treatment.
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):
Hello –
Recently, I’ve had a heavier load of stress in my life within my marriage. Last night when I got my hair colored my stylist asked me what’s been going on in my world? The reason she asked, is because I was intensly more grey than normal on the crown of my scalp & the sides, my hair was lifeless and dull and when she washed my hair after coloring, she noticed alot of hair on the drain. I’ve noticed my hair greying much faster and the same thing with washing my hair at home in the shower, lots of hair on the drain. I’m 37 years old and female.
My question is: Is my hair greying faster, texture of my hair lifeless and dull and the hair loss on the drain due to heavy stress? Thanks for any help you can give.
Genetic female hair loss can be precipitated by stress which can also bring on the graying process as well. Changes in the character of the hair also occurs as we age, as well as from the stress. Sounds like you need to surround your stress better. Also see a good doctor for the diagnosis of genetic female hair loss.
I noticed hair loss in my hair line back in august and about 2 months ago started taking an herbal supplement called Procerin. Since then instead of just losing it in the hair line the whole top of my head is falling out. I read something about a shedding phase that sometimes occurs when products of this nature are taken. Can you shed some light on this for me please? Thank you VERY much for you time!!
Unfortunately, since Procerin is not regulated by the FDA (as most supplements are not) there is little to no information in the medical literature regarding side effects and very few (if any) scientific studies. To complicate matters, humans will go through a shedding phase naturally and it is nearly impossible to tell if your hair loss is normal or due to some substance (like a supplement) you have added to your diet. You could do a hair count (count all the hairs you shed daily for a week – average should be no more than 100), or you could also just wait and see if the accelerated loss subsides on its own. If it continues, however, I would suggest seeing your doctor (or a dermatologist or a hair loss specialist) to get evaluated for other medical conditions which could be causing hair loss. Get your scalp hair mapped out for miniaturization. Just do not assume that the one thing you may have identified is the only cause of your hair loss; you have too much at risk.
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):
When i was i think 19 i had chicken pox. i had a fever for about two weeks. after i recovered, one day when i woke up i saw my pillow had many hairs on it and when i combed my hair, many hairs fell out. before i had chicken pox my hair was very thick and long, but now is not so much bald but the thickness is gone. my hair in front of my head is in the shape of an M. and my hair in the top is not very thick now. im 22 now.
What you describe is very common. Significant illness or stress to your body can precipitate a “telogen effluvium”, also known as a “shedding phase” which is transient – it grows back. Now, several years later, the “M” shaped hairline you describe is consistent with male pattern balding – another common condition. These two conditions are likely unrelated. Hope that helps!
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):
Hello
I am 23 years of age and I am losing hair (mainly because of dandruff). I would like to know until what age does hair regrow naturally.
We generally say that the hair wreath around the sides and top of the head, a 2 1/2 inch high area that runs from ear to ear, is permanent. We see this in the men who are very bald; they really never become fully bald as this wreath of ‘donor’ hair stays for life. The rest of the hair on the head of a very bald man may or may not last the lifetime of the man, depending upon their genetics. In women with no genetic hair loss, the same applies and the hair loss remains for the life of the patient. The small wreath of hair that we say is permanent in men, may not be permanent in women. Therein lies one of the differences in women’s genetic hair loss as compared to men’s genetic hair loss. On many women and men, the overall population of the hair may be decreased with age (unfortunate medical term is senile alopecia), but that rarely impacts more than 30% of the hair in impacted areas. So, worse case, an answer to your question is that fully 70% of hair on the head will last a lifetime, if genetic factors do not force it into an early death.
My grandmother lived to 114 years of age, and her hair was long (2-3 feet) and still growing when she died. She had a full head of hair. My grandfather died at 102 years of age with a full “Ronald Reagan” type head of hair with a hair line like he had when he was 10. He had a hair cut about every 3 weeks, and died at work behind his desk, a few days after his last hair cut (something he enjoyed doing very much because he got out and about). It’s all in the genetics of what our parents and grand parents gave to us (life span for ourselves and for our hair).
I have lost a circular patch about an inch and a half of hair in the back lower center of my head just above the neck line. The rest of my hair is naturally very thick and healthy. Any prognosis? I am 27 years old male. Thank you.
This is the ideal case for Propecia — crown balding in a young man. A good number (more than 50%) of men your age (in my experience) will regrow hair on this drug and many of them will reverse the visual impact of the loss. Get yourself checked out for miniaturization to see where else on the scalp that you may be losing hair and get it quantified and then remeasured after 8 months on the drug. In young men, many of the early signs and measurements of balding will disappear if the miniaturization is subclinical.
Dr. Rassman – I am a 41 yr. old female and have been experiencing diffuse thinning. I noticed this happening about 5 months ago and have been on an endless quest ever since and no one can seem to offer help. I have been told to try everything from hair transplants to ScalpMed, (which I saw your response to), Rogain and then not to use any of those treatments. I have seen 3 dermatologists, 1 holistic doctor, 2 GP’s, and an endocrinologist. I have had every blood test as described and nothing has been found. My 2 uncles on my mothers side are bald although my parents, sister and brother do no have thinning. I have scalp psoriasis mainly on the crown and sides of my head. I recently had a scalp biopsy and interestingly enough the pathology report stated that, “on the basis of this punch boipsy, the favored finding is psoriasis/sebopsoriasis, findings of alopecia are not present in this biopsy, and negative for scarring alopecia, lupus or any known inflammatory dermatosis (other than the psoriasis). I am currently using Clobex shampoo and lotion, not at the same time, and I know that I can only be on these for short periods of time due to the side effects, and that they can cause hair loss. I have sent photos to Dr. Bauman in Florida and he suggested the hair transplant. If someone would have told me 6 months ago that I needed a hair transplant, I never would have believed them. My problem is my hair is still thinning, and before I lose it all I would like to stop it. I am losing about 150 hairs a day and I have heard anything over 50 is extreme. I have done extensive research and still I have no answers. I understand that when the plaques get bad enough it can cause hair loss and that I need to get the psoriasis under control, however I have received so much contradictory information, I don’t know who or what to believe anymore. Is there someone that you can recommend here locally that may help? This entire situation is taking a toll on my health and marriage. Thank you.
First, I would like to acknowledge that you have a problem significant enough to affect your mental health. I have dealth with many patients in your circumstance. In your case, Psoriasis does not cause hair loss unless you pull on the scales, thereby producing traction alopecia. What you have done (including the biopsy) seems reasonable. If you have diffuse hair loss impacting even the sides and back of your head, and continue to shed hair, I do not recommend hair transplantation, for you will be transplanting some of the impacted hairs, not just the recipient area. Doing a hair transplant for a patient who is currently experiencing active Telogen Effluvium is bound to fail. Through the internet, it is impossible to treat you without examining you. If you live in California, consider visiting one of my offices (in Los Angeles or San Jose). If not, send me photographs to the email address on the Contact page and I will see if I can help you any further. Please avoid hair transplants until there is a clear plan in front of you.
What is the likelihood minoxidil caused an episode of tachychardia where patient is a healthy 48 year old female with no cardiac history or risk factors who used it on her scalp for a week prior and whose symptoms did not recur upon cessation of use?
There may be a direct association between tachycardia (fast heart rate) and minoxidil (which is a hypotensive agent that drops blood pressure). Many people complain of dizziness with this drug and what they are probably experiencing is a small drop in their blood pressure. When blood pressure drops, the first thing the body does to compensate for it is to increase the heart rate, so your symptoms fit nicely into the physiology of the cardiovascular system.
I need your help!
This is the last reminder to please vote for Balding Blog in the annual Medical Weblog Awards! When you click the link below, find the little circle to the left of “Balding Blog” (4th in the list), then click the Vote button. It just takes a few seconds of your time and is very appreciated.
Thanks again for your support!
UPDATE: Voting is now over. I’ll make a new post about it when I know the results.
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):
